Sand Valley vs Sand Hills vs Bandon Dunes

Five full-length courses on cliffs above the Pacific. The most cinematic golf in the United States and, on a calm day, the easiest of the three to play. The catch is travel, fly to Eugene or North Bend, then drive. Plan two travel days on either end.

A single course (plus the Ben Hogan short course), Coore & Crenshaw at their absolute peak, and a member-guest culture. Hard to get on, remote, and unforgettable when you do. Treat it as a pilgrimage, not a buddies trip rotation.

Six courses: Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, The Lido, Sedge Valley, The Sandbox, and the new par-3, across one walkable property in central Wisconsin. The Lido alone is a Top 50 course in the world. The easiest of the three to actually get to (drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, or Minneapolis) and the easiest to book tee times on.

First big group trip → Sand Valley. Once-in-a-lifetime → Bandon. Already played both and want the holy grail → pull strings for Sand Hills. For a Midwest group that wants to play six courses in four days without burning two days on flights, Sand Valley is the obvious answer.